Tanya Sunshine

I believe climate action begins with practical choices that build momentum across a community. My commitment spans workplace leadership, school and community advocacy, and personal habits at home.

In the workplace, I served on a Green Team leading internal sustainability initiatives. Beyond work, I created an “Earth Day Is Every Day” spring market for my kids' school to encourage families to make healthier, eco-friendly choices throughout the entire year.

In the community and at home in Langford, my family actively works to lower our environmental footprint. We have harvested and planted native Garry Oak and fir trees in our yard, participated in a municipal tree-planting initiative, and consistently prioritize eco-friendly household products, buying local as much as possible and recycling. We’re a heat pump using, EV family that likes to bus, bike and walk places as much as possible.

Individual actions matter, and just as my husband and I instill environmentally conscious decision-making in our kids, I believe municipalities accomplish the most when green participation is practical and easily accessible.

On Council, I will bring this grounded approach to local decision-making, supporting initiatives that help protect our existing canopy, preserve local ecosystems, and ensure sustainable choices remain realistic for all Langford families.

Yes, this commitment is personal. I support Langford’s climate initiatives, including the Zero Carbon Step Code, and believe climate action should help make everyday life healthier, safer and more affordable.

As a councillor, I would support translating our Official Community Plan and Climate Action Plan into measurable progress. My priorities include protecting and expanding tree canopy, strengthening food security, improving walking and cycling connections, and working with regional partners on better transit. How and where we grow should make it easier for residents to reach their jobs, services and daily needs while reducing reliance on driving for those who can.

I support cleaner, more efficient buildings, including heat pumps that provide both heating and cooling. Implementation should include clear guidance and help accessing available incentives and grants, with attention to households facing financial barriers.

Preparing for extreme heat, wildfire and smoke must also be part of responsible planning, including shade, accessible cooling spaces and protection for vulnerable residents.

Ultimately, we are making decisions today that impact future generations and we want a Langford that is more resilient, more affordable and healthier to call home for today and tomorrow.

I support the principle that those responsible for pollution should contribute fairly to addressing its consequences. Langford residents should not be expected to shoulder the entire financial burden of preparing for and responding to climate change.

Working with Mayor and Council, I would support directing staff to identify current and projected municipal costs attributable to climate change, building on the City’s climate planning and financial work. This could include additional costs for stormwater infrastructure, wildfire preparedness, extreme heat response and protecting public assets. Understanding these pressures would help us plan responsibly, prioritize investments and make the case for outside funding.

I would also support assessing suitable options to recover costs from major polluters. Before committing public money to a particular action, I would want clear legal advice, credible evidence connecting the costs to climate impacts, and an assessment of likely benefits, expenses and risks.

Regional collaboration would be particularly valuable. Working with other municipalities could help us share research, expertise and costs, while strengthening our collective voice. Where that assessment demonstrates a sound case and a responsible path forward, I would support pursuing recovery.

This connects directly to my priorities of taking care of what we have, managing finances responsibly and avoiding preventable costs for future generations. Alongside exploring recovery, we must continue reducing emissions and preparing our community for a changing climate. My guiding question would remain: does this action meaningfully protect our residents, our public assets and our financial future?

The Climate Action Plan gives Langford a foundation. Council’s responsibility is to turn it into funded work and measurable results.

I would work with Mayor and Council and staff to put the plan’s implementation framework into practice through annual budgets and departmental work plans, confirming responsibilities, funding and milestones for its priority actions. Early attention should go to actions that address the greatest risks, reduce emissions and protect residents with the fewest resources to adapt.

I would support the proposed climate funding strategy to pursue grants and partnerships, alongside coordination across departments. When a road, park or public building needs work, we should consider drainage, shade, accessibility, energy performance and future climate conditions together. Coordinating improvements can stretch public dollars further and avoid expensive retrofits later.

Implementation also means removing barriers. Residents need help navigating rebates and building upgrades, while businesses and builders need clear guidance. Regional partnerships can advance transit, emergency preparedness and infrastructure projects that Langford cannot deliver alone.

I would support including climate considerations in Council reports so their implications are visible when decisions are made. Annual public reporting should use the latest available emissions data and clear measures of progress to show what is being achieved, where work is delayed and what needs attention.

If an action stalls, I would ask why, what support is missing and whether our approach needs to change. My commitment is to keep implementation moving, with accountability for public spending and the outcomes residents experience.

One thing I would add is that climate action needs to be accessible to people whose choices are limited by their income, housing or circumstances. Someone renting may have little control over their building’s heating or cooling. Or a working parent may need to drive because transit does not fit their schedule. Supporting climate action means understanding those realities and helping make better options possible.

I also believe building community is part of preparing for a changing climate. Knowing our neighbours, having welcoming places to gather and connecting residents with local organizations can help people find support when they need it.

My experience creating an “Earth Day Is Every Day” market and being on the green team initiative at work reinforced how valuable it can be to bring people together around practical choices. I would welcome opportunities to connect residents, local businesses and community groups through repair events, gardening, composting, green waste and recycling info sessions, tree planting and information about home improvements and available supports.

One of my favourite climate science communicators and advocates is Canadian atmospheric scientist, Katherine Hayhoe. Makes it somehow easily understandable! We should make room for people to participate in ways that work for them, and listen when they explain what is getting in the way.

“How does this serve the community?” is the question I would bring to these decisions. Because for me, meaningful climate action protects our surroundings, strengthens our connections and helps people feel more secure in the place they call home.